Healthy Nibbles & Bits

This one-pot meal truly hits the spot. Bird’s eye chilies (or Thai chilies) give the soup a bright spice while lime zest and juice adds tangy flavor. Add your favorite vegetables and protein to the dish.

To be honest, I never thought that I would develop a hot and sour soup recipe. I have always shunned hot and spicy soups at Chinese restaurants because I don’t think they are truly authentic. Plus, there are plenty of other Chinese soups that I’d rather eat. It wasn’t until I traveled to Thailand and tasted tom yum soup for the first time that I realized how well spicy and sour flavors work together.

This hot and sour coconut noodle soup is inspired by tom yum soup recipes. I used bird’s eye chilies for the soup because I like their bright spice. Your tongue will detect the spiciness, but the chilies won’t numb your tongue like Sichuan peppercorns. The spice also doesn’t linger in the back of your throat. The amount of spice in this dish should be detectable, but won’t set your mouth on fire. If you love spice, feel free to add a few more chilies. Most tom yum soup recipes call for kaffir lime leaves, which I know are not easy to get outside of Asian markets. That’s why I’m using lime zest instead. It gives the soup a similar bright citrus flavor.

You’ll notice in the recipe that I listed tofu, snap peas, and carrots as optional add-ins. I want you to pair this coconut noodle soup recipe with whatever vegetables and protein you desire or have on hand. Feel free to experiment with the recipe!

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Hot & Sour Coconut Noodle Soup (Vegan)

I used fine mung bean noodles (or mung bean noodle threads), but you can substitute that with rice noodles. I also love to use lemongrass in my coconut soups because it adds a bright flavor. I purposely cut the lemongrass into large chunks so that it’s easier to fish them out of the broth. (They’re very woody and difficult to eat.) If fresh lemongrass is not easy to find, use 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemongrass paste. Do note that many store-bought lemongrass pastes are not vegan as they often contain dairy. 

• Author: Lisa Lin
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 stalks of lemongrass (optional)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 3 to 4 bird’s eye chilies (or Thai chilies), sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• zest from 2 limes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 5 to 6 ounces mung bean threads/noodles
• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk*
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice

Optional Add-Ins

• sliced tofu**
• 1 large carrot, julienned***
• 1 cup snap peas
• sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Trim off the bottom of the lemongrass stalks and peel the outer leaves (about 2 layers). Slice the stalks in half and discard the thinner, woodier portion. Slice the remaining stalks into 3-inch chunks. Bash the lemongrass with the flat side of your knife or a kitchen mallet. Set the lemongrass aside.
2. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot with the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bashed lemongrass chunks and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onions start to soften. Mix in the chiles, ginger, and garlic. Cook for a minute, until the ginger and garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, coriander, and salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add the lime zest and vegetable broth, cover the pot, and bring the broth to boil.
3. Reduce the heat a little. Add the noodles and cook them for 5 minutes, partially covered. If you are adding tofu, carrots, and snap peas to the dish, add them to the pot. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the snap peas turn vibrant green and the noodles are fully cooked. Add the coconut milk and scallions and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and add mix in the lime juice.
4. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings to your liking, adding more salt or lime juice.
5. Serve the noodle soup in bowls. Garnish with sesame seeds if you like.

Notes

• *Feel free to use light coconut milk for a lighter soup.
• **In the photos, I am using fried tofu that I buy from an Asian market.
• ***If you don’t want to julienne a carrot, dice it and add the carrots to the pot the same time that you add the tomatoes.
• Variations: You can transform this recipe into a rice soup by adding 3/4 cup of basmati or jasmine rice instead of noodles. You will need to simmer the soup for 15 to 18 minutes to ensure that the rice is fully cooked.